Felipe Massa from Brazil driving the Williams FW36 car. June 21, 2014. The Formula 1 World Championship, Stage 8, Austrian Grand Prix, held in Spielberg, Austria, during Qualifying Day.
Alex Albon expressed his desire for the Mercedes power unit to give his team an advantage over their competitors under the new Formula 1 regulations in 2026.
In addition to the changes in the chassis rules, there will also be a revamp in the engine formula, with a 50/50 power split between the internal combustion and electric components.
Mercedes successfully navigated the previous major overhaul of the powertrain regulations in 2014, establishing a solid foundation that led to eight consecutive titles.
There are rumors that the German team is making significant progress in the development of their next-generation power unit, which is good news for their customers McLaren and Williams.
Williams managed to take advantage of having a Mercedes engine in 2014, rising from ninth place in the previous season to third place, with nine podiums.
As other manufacturers caught up, Williams fell in the rankings. However, Albon remains hopeful that Mercedes can once again become the benchmark in terms of development.
“I believe the engines will play a crucial role,” Albon stated. “Perhaps in 2026, we will fall behind a top team like Mercedes and face a bigger gap.
“I hope Mercedes has a powerful engine and an efficient battery.
“This can work in our favor in the Constructors’ comparison and allow us to be competitive with teams using different engines.”
A Williams is implementing significant changes behind the scenes, as team principal James Vowles strives to elevate the perennial underdogs back to the top during his tenure.
Albon, who has signed a long-term contract extension, does not believe the team will be working towards achieving this goal until 2026, but emphasized how Mercedes could mitigate this.
When asked about Williams’ level of preparation for the new regulations, he responded, “I believe we are still in a development phase and I do not foresee us reaching our full potential until 2026.
“Each team is dedicating their efforts to ensure that 2026 marks a fresh start for everyone, but I believe this will require more time.
“However, I hope that our power unit can provide some assistance, and I recall the 2014 season where the gap to the leading positions could be greater.
“Nevertheless, this puts us in a good position as we can continue to grow, evolve, and make changes within the team. This will allow us to take significant steps forward by 2027.”
Despite this, the Anglo-Thai driver firmly insists that he would prefer Williams to forego a competitive leap in the next season to avoid being at a disadvantage during the reset.
“I would rather sacrifice 2025 for 2026,” he emphasized. “This is partly due to the long-term contracts, which divert focus from short-term success.
“We do not want short-term achievements if they will bring future difficulties. As a team, we must prioritize the future if we aspire to be at the top.
“To reach the top, we still have a substantial amount of work to do, and these significant changes will require time.”
© 2024
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